CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR
LAW
by
www.acblack.com
First edition published 1996 Second edition published 1998
Third edition published 2006
A & C Black Publishers Ltd 38 Soho Square, London W1D 3HB
© Copyright Rawdon Wyatt 2006
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the permission of the publishers.
A CIP entry for this book is available from the British Library ISBN-10: 0 7136 7592 6
ISBN-13: 978 0 7136 7592 4
eISBN-13: 978-1-4081-0239-8
Text typeset by A & C Black Printed in Italy by Legoprint
Introduction
This book has been written for anyone working or training to work in the legal profession,
or for anyone whose job requires them to have a working knowledge of legal words and
terms. The various exercises throughout the book focus on the key vocabulary that you
might be expected to understand and use on a day-to-day basis.
You should not go through the exercises in this book mechanically. It is better to choose
areas that you are unfamiliar with, or areas that you feel are of specific interest or
importance to yourself.
Each exercise is accompanied by a full answer key at the back of the book. This key also
gives you other information about particular vocabulary items (for example, words with
similar meanings, alternative words and expressions, etc) that are not covered in the
exercises themselves.
When you are doing the exercises, there are a few important points you should consider:
1. Many of the words, expressions and accompanying notes are based primarily on the
English and Welsh legal system. However, there are also many 'generic' words which can be
applied across the international legal spectrum, and would be recognised in other places
such as the USA and Canada.
2. Not all of the vocabulary practised in this book is legal vocabulary
per se
(see page 45 to
find out what this expression means), but would be used in a legal context (for example, at
a trial or tribunal, or when producing a contract or negotiating business terms).
3. A lot of the words and expressions which have been presented here in a particular context
(for example, words connected with a criminal law procedure) might also 'cross over' into
other areas of law. A jury, for example, is usually employed at a criminal trial, but might also
be used in some civil cases, such as libel.
It is very important to keep a record of new words and expressions that you learn. On page
64 of this book, you will find a vocabulary record sheet which you can photocopy as many
times as you like and use to build up a 'bank' of useful words and expressions. It is
accompanied on the following page by a sample sheet that shows you how to record a
particular vocabulary item. Keep your record sheets in a file or folder and review them on a
regular basis so that the words and expressions become an 'active' part of your legal
vocabulary.
We recommend that you keep a good dictionary with you, and refer to it when necessary.
Many of the words and expressions in this book (together with their definitions) can be
found in the
A & C Dictionary of Law
. For general vocabulary reference, the
Macmillan
English Dictionary
is also an excellent resource.
Contents
28.
Crime 3: Criminal procedure (part 1)
29.
Crime 4: Criminal procedure (part 2)
31.
Dispute resolution
The following websites were a useful reference source during the writing of this book, and are recommended if you want to develop your legal vocabulary further, or if you want to learn more about laws, legal systems, etc, (especially those in the United Kingdom).
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
www.unhchr.ch (very useful if you want to know more about the United Nations and human rights)
Unit 0000
The words in this exercise are used a lot in the legal profession, and appear at various stages
throughout this book, so it is important you understand what they mean before you do any
of the other exercises. Match the definitions on the left with the words on the right. Note
that (a) there are more words than definitions, and (b) many of the words on the right can
have more than one meaning, but only one of those meanings is in the column on the left.
Note that many of the words and accompanying expressions in this exercise (and in the
following exercises on business law) are not exclusive to business law, but may also be
applied to other legal and general areas.
Before you begin: Essential words
1. Money claimed by someone as compensation for harm done.
2. To send someone to prison or to a court.
3. An adjective referring to a judge or to the law.
4. Not guilty of a crime.
5. Any act which is not legal.
6. A person who has studied law and can act for people on legal business.
7. A disagreement or argument between parties.
8. A specialist court outside the judicial system which examines special problems.
9. A set of arguments or facts put forward by one side in a legal proceeding.
10. An official who presides over a court.
11. To make an allegation in legal proceedings.
12. Someone who is accused of a crime in a criminal case.
13. A person who makes a claim against someone in a civil court.
14. An agreement reached after an argument.
15. To hold someone legally so as to charge them with a crime.
16. A case which is being heard by a committee, tribunal or court of law.
17. To find that someone is guilty of a crime.
18. Failure to carry out the terms of an agreement.
19. To bring someone to court to answer a criminal charge.
20. To ask a high law court to change its decision or sentence.
21. To say that someone has committed a crime.
22. Having the legal ability to force someone to do something.
23. An adjective referring to the rights and duties of private persons or organisations.
24. The arguments used when fighting a case.
25. A legal agreement between two or more parties.
26. An adjective referring to crime.
27. A group of 12 citizens who decide whether or not someone is guilty in a trial.
28. A written or spoken statement of facts which helps to prove or disprove something at a trial.
29. To order someone to pay money as a punishment.
Unit 0000
Exercise 1: Look at these sentences and decide if the word in bold is being used correctly in
the context of the sentence (there is an
explanation
of the word that should be used in
brackets at the end of the sentence). If you think the word is wrong, look for the correct
word. You will find this in one of the other sentences.
Business law 1: Key adjectives
1. When pieces of broken glass were found in some of its food products, the company was held
eligible. (responsible for what had happened)
2. When he was asked to explain his actions, he had no validexplanations. (being acceptable because
it is true or relevant)
3. The sacked workers claimed unfair dismissal, and demanded a fair and intangiblehearing. (not
biased or prejudiced)
4. Goodwill is one of a company's admissibleassets, and as such it cannot be declared as part of the
company's capital. (difficult to value as it does not exist physically)
5. He was accused of trying to obtain a fiduciaryadvantage by getting involved in insider dealing.
(financial)
6. At the trial, the judge took the unprecedentedstep of asking the claimant to remove his shirt. (not having happened before)
7. The company solicitor examined the contract very carefully, and eventually declared it
irreconcilable. (not having any legal effect)
8. The documents produced were not considered relevant to the case and were therefore not
unanimous. (referring to evidence which a court will allow to be used)
9. The magazine was acquitted of libel when the jury returned a grossverdict of 'not guilty'. (where everyone votes in the same way)
10. All shareholders are accountableto vote at the Annual General Meeting. (able or allowed to do
something)
11. The judge accepted that Mr Johnson could not go back to work in the same company because of
voiddifferences of opinion between him and the Directors. (very strong, so that it is not possible for two sides to reach an agreement)
12. The rail company was accused of impartialnegligence by failing to ensure passengers' safety.
(serious)
13. Interest charges are tax deductibleso we haven't made as much as we had hoped. (able to be
removed)
14. After a terrible year, during which it lost almost £8 million, the company was declared insolvent. (not able to pay debts)
15. A company director has a pecuniaryduty to the company he works for and the people who work
Exercise 2: In this exercise, the first part of each word is already in the sentence. Complete it
with the second part, which you will find in the box.
Unit 0000
__atim 앫 __ditional 앫 __dulent 앫 __empt 앫 ___ended 앫 __erial
__gious 앫 __inal 앫 __itual 앫 __ndant 앫 __orate 앫 __pational
__sible 앫 __tiable 앫 __tory 앫 __vent
1. Because of the recent phenomenon of the 'compensation culture', claims for occu____accidents
have almost doubled in the last ten years. (referring to jobs and work)
2. So many complaints about the company's behaviour were reported that a manda____
injunction was imposed ordering them to cease trading. (obligatory or necessary according to the law or rules)
3. Some special savings accounts are popular with small businesses because the interest paid is ex____
from tax. (not required to pay, or not covered by law)
4. The terms of the contract are nego____up to the moment it is signed. (able to be changed by
discussion)
5. The claimant produced a verb____transcript of the conversation he had had with the defendant.
(in the exact words)
6. On the claimant's application for summary judgement, the defendant was given uncon____leave to
defend himself. (with no conditions attached)
7. The company was accused of making a frau____insurance claim by exaggerating the value of the
goods it had lost. (not honest, aiming to deceive people for financial gain)
8. Technically we can sue the company for breach of contract, although this is not really a fea____
option. (possible or practical)
9. New legislation has made Clause 6b of the contract redu____. (no longer needed or valid)
10. Hab____breaches of safety regulations are being investigated by the Health and Safety Officer. (doing something repeatedly)
11. When he bought the company, it was barely sol____but he turned it into one of the most
successful organisations in the country. (having enough money to pay debts)
12. The lawsuit against the organisation was dropped because there was not enough mat____
evidence. (important or relevant)
13. We were expecting to receive a big fine, but in the event we were ordered to pay only nom____
damages. (a very small amount)
14. The issues of corp____responsibility at local, national and international levels have been receiving a lot of coverage in the press. (referring to a company)
Look at the dictionary definitions below, decide what each one is describing, then write your
answers in the table on the next page. The first and last letters of each word have already
been put into the table for you.
If you complete the table correctly, you will reveal a word in the shaded vertical strip that can
be used to complete the sentence in the box at the bottom of the next page.
Unit 0000
Business law 2: Key nouns
1. A person who is appointed to deal with financial or other matters on behalf of another person.
2. A licence to trade using a brand name and paying a royalty for it.
3. An official who investigates complaints by the public against government departments or other
large organisations (especially banks, travel companies, and electricity, gas, water and telecommunications providers).
4. Somebody who gives a guarantee.
5. A failure to carry out the terms of an agreement, a contract, etc.
6. One of the main conditions of a contract, where one party agrees to what is proposed by the other
party. Also the act of signing a bill of exchange to show that you agree to pay for it.
7. The notifiable offence of telling lies when you have made an oath to say what is true in court.
8. Somebody who has committed a civil wrong to somebody, entitling the victim to claim damages.
9. A payment made by a person or company to cover the cost of damage or hardship which he / she /
it has caused.
10. An attempt by a third party to make the two sides in an argument agree.
11. A document in which a company acknowledges it owes a debt and gives the company's assets as
security.
12. The closing of a company and the selling of its assets.
13. Money claimed by a claimant from a defendant because of harm or damage done, or money
awarded by a court to a claimant as a result of harm suffered by the claimant (Clue: this word has already appeared elsewhere in this exercise).
14. The legal responsibility for paying someone for loss or damage incurred.
15. A failure to give proper care to something, especially a duty or responsibility, with the result that a person or property is harmed.
16. The good reputation of a business and its contacts with its customers (for example, the name of
the product it sells or its popular appeal to customers).
17. A court order telling a person or a company to stop doing something, or telling them not to do it
Unit 0000
1 N E
2 F E
3 O N
4 G R
5 B H
6 A E
7 P Y
8 T R
9 C N
10 M N
11 D E
12 L N
13 D S
14 L Y
15 N E
16 G L
17 I N
Use the word in the shaded vertical strip to complete this paragraph.
The company promised us that they would send us the goods by March 31st, but since then we have discovered that they knew they couldn't get them to us until the end of May. We lost a lot of money as a result, so we are going to sue them for __________.
Complete the crossword on page 8 by rearranging the jumbled letters in bold in the
sentences below and writing the words and expressions in the appropriate space on the
crossword grid. An explanation of each verb is in brackets at the end of each sentence.
Be
careful
, as many of the words will need to change their form (for example, to the past simple
or past perfect) to fit correctly in the sentence and into the crossword.
Across:
Unit 0000
Business law 3: Key verbs
3. The airline will dineynifmpassengers for lost luggage to the value of £500. (to pay for loss or damage suffered)
4. The company ernudketato provide quality service at a competitive cost. (to promise to do
something)
10. The tribunal will udditecajathe claim and award damages where necessary. (to give a judgement
between two parties)
12. In order to raise enough money for its new venture, the company decided to diqielatusome of its
assets. (to sell assets or stock to raise cash)
14. All of our employees are tielentto four weeks' holiday a year. (to have or give someone the right to do something)
15. A neutral party was called in to tedaimebetween the manager and his staff. (to try to make two
sides in an argument come to an agreement)
17. The contract is still being frtad, but we expect it to be ready for signing early next week. (to make a first rough plan of a document such as a contract)
19. A lot of people were unhappy when he was paintpoto the post of Managing Director. (to choose
someone for a job)
20. We must allow sufficient time to sepelabefore we make a claim. (of time: to pass)
21. The company has been accused of trying to efrudadcustomers. (to trick someone so as to obtain
money or goods illegally)
26. The paper has no right to clodseisthe details of our agreement. (to tell details)
28. A court injunction has nabthe company from trading in the area. (to forbid something, or make it illegal)
29. Because a new company has taken over, the contract has been dvaatineli. (to make something no
longer valid)
31. In view of the inconvenience we have caused, we are willing to vaweiall payments due. (to say that something is not necessary)
Unit 0000
Down:
1. The plan has to be fatyirby the board before it can be put into operation. (to approve officially something that has already been decided)
2. After he was accused of insider dealing, his firm was clabstkliby the government. (to put goods, people or a company on a list of those that you will not deal with)
5. Penalties will be applied if you fdaetulon your repayments. (to fail to carry out the terms of a contract, especially to fail to pay back a debt)
6. When the company was unable to repay the loan, the bank clefeosoron its premises. (to take
possession of a property because the owner cannot repay money he / she has borrowed using the property as security)
7. The case might last longer than we expected, because the defendant is uditepsthe claim. (to argue
against something; to say that something is not correct)
8. The judge dwraacompensatory damages to the claimant. (to decide the amount of money to be
given to someone)
9. The company assured us it would do all the work itself, but it accobnsutrtpart of the job to a local firm. (to agree with a company that they will do all or part of the work for a project)
11. The court was unable to decide whether the patent had been gfriinen. (to make a product in the
same way as another product which has been patented, and not pay royalties)
13. The document has been fcrieytas a true copy. (to make an official declaration in writing)
16. Non-profit organisations will be petmexfrom tax. (to free someone from having to pay tax)
18. The court ordered the company to be ndwi pu(2 words). (to put a company into liquidation)
19. The claimant gaellethat the article was an infringement of his copyright. (to state, usually in giving evidence, that something has happened or is true)
22. The company did not biead yb(2 words) the terms of the agreement. (to accept a rule or follow a
custom)
23. On liquidation, the firm's property was stevin the bank. (to transfer to someone the legal ownership and possession of land or a right)
24. We are mical£5,000 as compensation from our suppliers. (to ask for money)
25. Mr and Mrs Douglas' solicitor advised them to eksean injunction against the magazine in the High
Court. (to ask for or try to do something)
27. Workers are allowed to tkesriin protest against bad working conditions. (to stop working because there is no agreement with management)
Unit 0000
1 2
3
4 5
6
7 8 9
10 11
12 13
14
15 16
17
18
19
20 21 22
23
24 25
26 27
28
29 30
31
Complete definitions 1 – 30 with the first part of an appropriate expression from the first
box, and the second part from the second box.
Unit 0000
Business law 4: Key expressions
articles… burden… compulsory… confidential… data… employers'… employment… force… freezing… fundamental… grievance… intellectual… joint…(x2) limited… memorandum…(x2) obligation… out… power… pre-emption… terms… trade… unfair… unliquidated… unprofessional… vicarious… winding… without… wrongful…
…and conditions …and several …breach …clause …competition …conduct …damages …dismissal ...information ...injunction …liability (x3) …liquidation …majeure …mark …of association (x2) …of attorney …of confidentiality …of court
…of proof …of satisfaction …prejudice …procedure …property …protection …tribunal …up …venture
1. An official power giving someone the right to act on someone else's behalf in legal matters is called __________.
2. The protecting of information about individuals stored in a computer from being copied or used
wrongly is called __________.
3. __________ is a phrase spoken or written in a letter when attempting to negotiate a settlement
which means that the negotiations cannot be referred to in court or relied upon by the other party if discussions fail.
4. A __________ is a business partnership where two or more companies join together as partners for a
limited period.
5. __________ is an expression of French origin that is used for something which happens which is out
of control of the parties who have signed a contract (for example, a war or a storm), and is also known as an act of God.
6. A __________ refers to the various steps an employee takes if he / she wants to complain about his /
her employers.
7. __________ are the contents of a document which regulate the way in which a company's affairs
(such as the appointment of directors or the rights of shareholders) are managed.
8. A section in a company's (number 7 above) which requires any shares offered for sale to be first
offered to existing shareholders is known as a __________.
9. When a company is put into liquidation, this is often known as __________.
10. The legal responsibility of an employer when employees are subject to accidents due to negligence
on the part of an employer is called __________.
11. The legal responsibility of one person for the actions of another person, especially the responsibility of an employer for acts committed by an employee in the course of work, is called __________.
13. A __________ is a legal document setting up a limited company and giving details of its aims, capital structure, and registered office.
14. A __________ is a document showing that a company has repaid a mortgage or charge.
15. A situation where two or more parties share a single legal responsibility, and each party is also liable for the whole claim, is called __________ liability.
16. When a dispute between two parties is settled before it gets to court, it is known as an __________
settlement.
17. When an overseas company (or an individual) cannot access its assets because a court order prevents
it from doing so, this is known as a __________.
18. __________ are compensatory payments which are not for a fixed amount of money but are
awarded by a court as a matter of discretion depending on the case.
19. The duty to prove that something which has been alleged in court is true is known as the
__________.
20. Behaviour which is not suitable for a professional person and goes against the code of practice of a profession is called __________.
21. Facts which are secret and must not be passed on to other people are called __________.
22. A body responsible for hearing work-related complaints as specified by statute is called an __________.
23. An __________ is a legally-binding rule that is imposed on the recipient of private or secret
information which states that the recipient should not pass the information on to someone else.
24. The name, design or other feature which identifies a commercial product, has been registered by the
maker and cannot be used by other makers is called a 'registered __________'.
25. __________ is something such as a copyright, patent or design which someone has created or
produced that no-one else can legally copy, use or sell.
26. The conditions which have to be carried out as part of a contract, or arrangements which have to be
made before a contract is valid, are called __________.
27. The removal of someone from a job for a reason that cannot be justified, and which is in breach of
contract, is called __________.
28. __________ is an attempt by one company to do better than another company by using methods
such as importing foreign products at very low prices or by wrongly criticising a competitor's products.
29. A failure to carry out an essential or basic term of a contract is known as a __________.
30. __________ is when a court orders a company to close and its assets to be sold.
Many countries have legislation in place to protect the rights of consumers. In Britain, they
are protected by laws such as the
Sale of Goods Act
, the
Supply of Goods and Services Act
,
the
Distance Selling Regulations
, the
Consumer Protection Act
and the
Consumer Credit Act.
Exercise 1: Here is a summary of some of the key points from these laws, and some other
information which consumers might find useful. Complete the paragraphs with words and
expressions from the box.
Unit 0000
Consumer rights
1. accurate description 2. as described 3. cooling-off period 4. credit card fraud 5. credit voucher 6. defective 7. delivery arrangements 8. fit for purpose 9. give a refund 10. guarantee or warranty 11. opt out of 12. proof of purchase
13. receipt 14. responsibilities and liabilities 15. satisfactory quality 16. unsolicited mail 17. unsolicited telemarketing 18. wear and tear
19. within a reasonable time 20. written confirmation
Providers of goods and services (including credit providers and hire companies) all have ____________ towards the customer which are aimed at protecting the customer and his / her rights.
When you buy goods, they must be of ____________: the condition they are in should match your expectations based on the price you paid. They should also be '____________' (in other words, they must match the description made by the provider and / or the manufacturer), and they must be '____________' (they should do what you expect them to do).
All goods must carry a ____________ in case they go wrong or do not meet your expectations.
If you need to return goods a shop or other supplier, you should do so ____________: many shops and suppliers specify their own limit, usually 28 days, and can refuse to do anything if there is evidence of unreasonable ____________ (signs that the goods have been used more than is normal or for a purpose for which they were not designed).
If you take goods back to a shop, they are entitled to ask for ____________, such as a ____________, a credit card slip, etc, that shows you actually bought the goods from them.
Many shops may refuse (illegally, if the product you have bought is faulty or ____________) to
____________, and instead of returning your money will offer you a ____________ to use in that shop at a later date.
Where goods or services are ordered on the Internet, on-line shops should offer their customers a
____________ after they have ordered them, in case the customer decides to suddenly cancel their order.
On-line shops should give the customer an ____________ of the goods being sold, and clearly state the price, ____________ and options (how and when the customer can expect to receive their goods, whether there is an extra charge for postage, etc).
Exercise 2: Instructions as above.
Unit 0000
1. claim for compensation 2. claim form 3. County Court 4. in your favour 5. issue the proceedings 6. make a claim 7. poor workmanship 8. preliminary hearing
9. reasonable care and skill 10. reasonable charge 11. received satisfaction 12. serves the claim 13. Small Claims 14. specified period
If a service is being provided (for example, a mobile phone contract), and there is a ____________ for the contract, this must be clearly stated by the provider.
If you buy faulty goods with a credit card, and those goods cost over £100, you have an equal ____________ against the seller of the goods and the credit card company.
Where a service such as the repair of a car is being provided, it should be done with ____________ (an unsatisfactory standard of work or general ____________ should not be accepted by the customer) for a ____________ (the customer should not have to pay an excessive amount of money) and within a reasonable time.
If you need to ____________ against a shop, company or other provider, because you have not
____________ from that shop, company, etc, you can do so through the ____________. For claims of less than £5,000 the ____________ procedure should be useful.
Exercise 1:
Complete this text, which has been adapted from the A & C Black
Dictionary of Law
, with
words or expressions from the box.
Unit 0000
Contracts 1
1. accepted 2. agreement 3. breach 4. consideration 5. contractual liability 6. damages 7. express 8. implied 9. intention 10. obligations 11. offer 12. reward 13. signed
14. stated 15. sue 16. terms 17. under seal 18. verbally 19. voided 20. writing
A contract can be defined as 'an __________ between two or more parties to create legal __________
between them'. Some contracts are made '__________': in other words, they are __________ and sealed
(stamped) by the parties involved. Most contracts are made __________ or in __________. The essential
elements of a contract are: (a) that an __________ made by one party should be __________ by the other;
(b) __________ (the price in money, goods or some other __________, paid by one party in exchange for
another party agreeing to do something); (c) the __________ to create legal relations. The __________ of a
contract may be __________ (clearly stated) or __________ (not clearly __________ in the contract, but
generally understood). A __________ of contract by one party of their __________ entitles the other party
to __________ for __________ or, in some cases, to seek specific performance. In such circumstances, the
contract may be __________ (in other words, it becomes invalid).
Exercise 2:
There are many different kinds of contract for different situations. Look at the following
paragraphs, and decide what kind of contract is being described or talked about.
1. I went into the supermarket and chose the items that I wanted. As soon as my basket was full, I
headed for the checkout.
2. My cousin Bob said he was going to get rid of his computer and buy a new one. I said that I
needed a computer and suggested I bought his old one. Anyway, we agreed on a price, I gave him a £50 deposit, and agreed to pay the balance in instalments over the next three months. I'm going round to collect the computer this evening.
3. The property is unfurnished, and the rent is £650 pcm, which has to be paid monthly in arrears.
Electricity, gas and phone bills are extra. There's a communal garden and a communal parking area, for which I also have to pay a nominal maintenance fee. The landlord is responsible for any repairs to the property. I'm not allowed to sublet at any time. I've signed the lease for 18 months.
4. We're opening our own branch in the town centre next week. The deal is fairly simple: we get the
Unit 0000
5. The total amount you are borrowing is £9,000 at an APR of 6.6%. Repaid in monthly instalments
over 3 years, this gives you a monthly repayment figure of £275.46, totalling £9,916.56. You have opted out of the repayment protection premium scheme. If you wish to make an early settlement, the figure above will be recalculated accordingly. As soon as you sign a form, your funds will be released into your bank account. Please note that penalties will be applied if you default on repayments.
6. This appointment is for a period of two years, following a 4-week probationary period. Your
remuneration package includes an annual gross salary of £32,000. You are entitled to sick pay and 6 weeks annual leave after you have been with us for 3 months. Your hours of work are 9 to 5 Monday to Friday, although you may be asked to work overtime during busy periods. The company has its own medical and pension schemes which you may join.
7. The total cost is £2,870, which is payable in full before the goods can be despatched. Alternatively, we can arrange credit terms, which are interest-free for the first six months. All goods are covered by the manufacturer's warranty, which is valid for one year. If you are not happy with your merchandise, it can be returned for an exchange or full refund (but please note that this is valid for 28 days only, and we will need to see your receipt or other proof of purchase).
8. A group 7M people carrier is £58 a day. This price includes unlimited mileage, fully comprehensive
insurance, collision damage waiver and loss damage waiver. The company has drop-off points in most major cities, but will charge extra if you use a different one from that where you picked up the vehicle. A refuelling service charge will be applied if you do not replace the fuel you have used.
Look at paragraphs 1 – 6 in the boxes, and answer the questions that follow them. Some of
the words and expressions appeared in
Contracts 1
on pages 13 and 14.
1
.
2
.
3
.
4
.
Unit 0000
Contracts 2
This contract is binding, and we expect all the parts involved (both clients andsuppliers) to abide by the terms and conditions stated in sections 3a – 37g on pages 1 – 17.
1. One of the underlined words / expressions in the above sentence is wrong. Identify and correct it.
2. True or false: a contract which is bindingis flexible and can be changed at any time.
3. Two of these words / expressions could replace abide by. Which ones?
(A) choose (B) agree with (C) obey (D) change (E) honour
On terminator of this contract, the company will be obliged to return any unused materials to the supplier within 28 days, unless provision has been made for a temporary extension. If any of the rules of the contract are broken, all materials must be returned immediately.
1. One of the underlined words / expressions in the above sentence is wrong. Identify and correct it.
2. True or false: provisionhas a similar meaning to arrangement.
3. Rearrange these letters to make two words which have a similar meaning to obliged:
degabtlio edequrir
The contract was originally verbal, but we've finally managed to get the company to give us
something on paper. They say that this contract is un-negotiable, but maybe we can persuade them to amend some of the details before we sign on the dotted line.
1. One of the underlined words / expressions in the above paragraph is wrong. Identify and correct it.
2. True or false: the speaker thinks that it might be possible for small changes to be made to the
contract before she signs it.
3. Rearrange the letters in boldto make words which have the same or a similar meaning to verbalin
this situation
rola kosnep
Swillpot Airline Catering Ltd were sued by Pan-Globe Airways when they were found to be in beach of their contract, specifically that they had failed to comply with clause 27B, which stated that their food should be "fit for human consumption".
1. One of the underlined words / expressions in the above sentence is wrong. Identify and correct it.
2. Find a word or expression in paragraphs 1 – 3 above which has a similar meaning to comply with
in paragraph 4.
3. True or false: Pan-Globe Airways are unhappy with Swillpot Airline Catering because they have
Unit 0000
5
.6
.Withers Interiors Ltd have entered into an agreement with Sophos Construction to act as sole providers of quality interior fittings commencing 15 August this year. This is to run for 18 months, with a 3 month period of notification in the event of cancellation by either side.
1. One of the underlined words / expressions in the above sentence is wrong. Identify and correct it.
2. Which word in the paragraph is the closest in meaning to the noun contract?
3. Is this an example of part of an open-endedcontract?
4. True or false: if either Withers Interiors Ltd or Sophos Construction want to end the contract, they must tell the other company 3 months before they do it.
This contract recognises the anointment of Mr Alan Wiley as non-executive Director to the board of AKL Publishing following the company's amalgamation with Berryhill Books. While Mr Wiley may continue to buy shares in the company, he may not acquire a controlling interest, and he may have no professional dealings with any third parties during this period.
1. One of the underlined words / expressions in the above sentence is wrong. Identify and correct it.
2. True or false: AKL Publishing recently separated from Berryhill Books.
3. True or false: Mr Wiley can buy as many shares as he likes in the company.
4. In addition to sitting on the board of AKL Publishing, how many other companies can Mr Wiley
work for?
4. Both Swillpot Airline Catering Ltd and Pan-Globe Airways signed the contract. In legal terms,
would we describe the arrangement between the two companies as an offer, an acceptanceor a
Unit 0000
Corporate responsibility
can broadly be defined as the responsibility a company or other
organisation and its directors have to the people they employ, to their customers, to the
people who live in and around their areas of operation and to the local, national and
international environment. While many aspects of corporate responsibility are not laws in
themselves, they may be part of, or become involved in, a legal process.
Complete this text about corporate responsibility and the environment with words from
the box.
Corporate responsibility 1:
The environment
abused affected alternative assets benefit climate codes communities compensation conflict consultation degradation ecological ecosystems effect
exploit extracts fossil genetically human rights impact
implementing indigenous indirectly minimise non-renewable non-sustainable pollution precautions protocols reduce regulations regulatory renewable
resources solar sustainable sustaining transparent voluntarily
A company should ensure that its actions do not damage local and global__________. It needs to __________ its use of natural __________ such as oil, gas and other __________ fuels, and regulate its __________ on aspects such as __________ change, and air, sea and noise __________ . It needs to be aware of the dangers it might pose in terms of __________ __________, and must follow local, national and international __________, rules, __________ and __________ designed to __________ damage. Where possible, it should __________ the availability of __________ power sources such as __________ and tidal power. If the company is involved in the agricultural sector, it should support and encourage __________ agriculture and forest use. If a company wishes to develop __________ modified products, it should do so only if it is safe, and only after public __________, and it should take all necessary __________. It should also have the approval of local people who might be __________. If accidents occur or __________ breaches are made, the company must be honest and __________ in its dealings with those who are affected, and assist them in __________ procedures to reduce its __________.
In this text, complete the
first
part of each word in
bold
with the second part of each word
from the box.
Unit 0000
Corporate responsibility 2:
Communities
___act ___ainability ___ation ___cipation ___ciples ___der ___diction ___ding ___ent ___erse ___ervation ___ests ___grate ___grity
___ial ___ibute ___icity ___ified ___ilities ___ision
___itted ___lated ___lations ___lement ___mental ___minate ___mote ___olve ___omic ___orce ___parency ___pect (x2) ___opment ___ply ___porate ___rdable ___tect ___ted ___ties ___traint ___ulate
A company should res___, pro___ and pro___ national and international human rights trea___,
prin___ and standards, regardless of whether or not these have been rat___ by the host state, and regardless of whether or not such standards are legally-bin___ in the host state. All companies should
reg___ their behaviour accordingly. A company should respect the political juris___ of the host state, but where there are gross human rights vio___ by the government of the host state, the company should withdraw its operations from that state.
A company should com___ with internationally-recognised labour, health, safety and environ___ standards. It should be comm___ to ensuring that the communities it deals with and the people it employs are trea___ with res___. It should recognise that its operations will have a soc___, econ___ and environmental imp___ on local communities, and it should inv___ the community in any major
dec___-making process. It should contr___ to the devel___ of that community, the pres___ of local cultures, the development of social, educational and medical fac___ and the sust___ of the local economy. It should at all times incor___ the best inter____ of the community into its methods of operation, and actively encourage the parti___ of the community in its operations.
If a company produces essential food or medical items to sell locally, it should imp___ a policy of price
res___ so that these products are affo___. It should not charge grossly inf___ prices. If the essential products it makes carry a pat___, the company should not enf___ this if doing so will have an adv___ effect on the health and wellbeing of local people.
A company should not discri___ against, or deni___, local communities or individuals on the basis of race, gen___, culture, ethn___, religion, class, sexual orient___ or disability.
Unit 0000
Look at this list of responsibilities a company should have for its employees. Then look at
the notes about the company RJW Ltd on the next page. For each note, decide which
responsibility is being ignored or abused. In some cases, there is more than one possible
answer.
Corporate responsibility 3:
Employment
A. A company should not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, class, religion, disability, etc, when it comes to recruiting staff.
B. A company should ensure that its employees are proportionally representative of the community in
which it is based.
C. A company should ensure that working hours are reasonable and that employees receive regular
breaks.
D. A company should ensure that its employees receive regular paid annual leave (and also maternity
and compassionate leave when required).
E. A company should provide equal pay for work of equal value.
F. A company should pay a sustainable living wage to all of its employees.
G. A company should provide adequate child-care facilities.
H. A company should ensure that there is no physical, sexual or verbal harassment or abuse of
workers.
I. A company should ensure that health and safety rules are applied and closely followed.
J. A company should not force its employees to have regular health checks, and then use the results
to dismiss the employee.
K. A company should not dismiss an employee on the grounds of pregnancy.
L. A company should allow its employees to organise or join workers' organisations that represent
their interests.
M. A company should have a grievance procedure that is easy to understand and open to all
employees.
N. A company should provide adequate compensation for accidents and injuries sustained on its
premises.
O. A company should not dismiss or otherwise penalise an employee who refuses to work overtime.
P. A company should not dismiss or otherwise penalise employees for failing to reach production
targets.
Q. A company should not use indentured, forced or slave labour, or employ anyone under duress.
R. A company should ensure that an employee is dismissed as a last resort only, and only after verbal
Unit 0000
1. Several factory floor workers have been fired or had their wages reduced for refusing to stay and
work late when needed.
2. Production manager Laurence Bailey broke his wrist when some unsecured panels fell on it. He is
trying to get money out of the company for his injuries. 'You're not getting a penny out of this company,' his boss tells him. 'It's your problem, not ours'
3. Andrew Kelly is thinking of starting a union for the workers at RJW Ltd. The Company Director
warns him that if he does, he will regretfully have to 'let him go'.
4. Manager Maureen Blake is always patting her male PA's backside and telling him he has 'a
wonderful body'. He has complained several times, but nothing ever gets done about it.
5. Susie Roberts, a secretary for RJW Ltd, recently had a baby. She cannot afford a babysitter while
she is at work, so the baby stays with her in the office.
6. RJW Ltd have their main office on the edge of an economically-deprived area predominantly
inhabited by people of West Indian origin. The company prefers to hire white, male, middle class employees.
7. RJW Ltd has regular, compulsory medical check-ups for its employees. The company nurse believes
that one of the workers, Charlie Higson, drinks a lot when off duty. She reports this to Charlie's manager, who then dismisses him.
8. Ron Smith and Emma Addams are sales executives for RJW Ltd. They both have the same
qualifications and the same experience. Mr Smith receives £40,000 a year and Mrs Addams receives £34,000 a year.
9. Office assistant Tony White thinks his boss treats him badly. He wants to complain, but has no idea
how to go about doing so. Nobody else seems to know what he should do either.
10. Factory-floor workers at RJW Ltd find it difficult to make ends meet. The cost of living is rising all the time, and the money they receive has not kept up with the rate of inflation.
11. Canteen assistant Anne Watkins oversleeps one morning and is two hours late for work. She has
worked for RJW Ltd for 6 months and has never been late before. The canteen manager sacks her the moment she arrives.
12. Ellie McKenzie, a machine operator for RJW Ltd, works 12 hours a day with only 20 minutes for
lunch.
13. Six months ago the company advanced one of its employees some money. When the employee
became ill and was unable to pay back the money, the company insisted on using his children to work to pay off his debt.
14. Delivery driver Michael Blair is exhausted: he hasn't had a holiday for two years. The company says it cannot afford to give him the time off work.
15. Production assistant Richard Mann slipped on some oil on the factory floor, fell headlong through
a glass panel, caught his arm in some unguarded machinery and was electrocuted by some exposed electrical wires.
16. Factory-floor workers have been told that a new quota system has been put in place: anyone who
does not satisfy this quota will have their salaries reduced.
17. Accountant Audrey Jensen is delighted because she's just discovered she's going to have a baby.
Unit 0000
Corporate responsibility 4
Financial and ethical integrity
Look at paragraphs 1 – 9 in the boxes, and do the task that accompanies each one.
Paragraph 1:
Find words in the paragraph below that mean:
Paragraph 2:
This paragraph contains 7 wrong word
forms
(for example, a verb has been used instead of
a noun, a singular form has been used when a plural form is necessary, etc). Identify and
correct these words.
Paragraph 3:
Rearrange the letters in
bold
to make words.
Paragraph 4:
Complete the paragraph with words or expressions from the first box.
1. To make something weaker or less effective
2. People who have invested in and own part of a business, or people who have a personal interest in
how something happens
3. Open and honest about its actions
4. People who own shares in a company
5. Business dealings and other actions
6. To ask someone for something (in this case, for an immoral or unethical purpose)
7. Something which encourages
8. Money offered corruptly to someone to get him to do something to help you
9. Honesty / moral principles
A company should not offer, solicit or accept bribes or any other form of financial incentive that could undermine its integrity, and for the sake of its shareholders and other stakeholders it should be transparent in all its accounting and financial transactions.
A company should be social responsible in its investing, and exercise diligent to ensure that such
investments do not have an adversity affect on human needs and right. It should be prepared to disclosure any information regarding its investments when asked to do so.
If a company pssstecuthat it is being used for minrilacor other illegal activities, either from within the company or from the outside, it should report its nssiosupcito the relevant rathouseitiand put in place
rrserabito ensure that it does not happen again.
disadvantaged ensure equitable interest rates policies predatory profit margins repayment
Unit 0000
Paragraph 5:
This paragraph contains 10 spelling mistakes. Identify and correct each one.
Paragraph 6:
Read this paragraph, then do the task that follows it.
Paragraph 7:
Using your own words and ideas, explain the words and expressions in
bold
in this
paragraph.
Paragraphs 8 and 9:
Which words or expressions in paragraphs 8 and 9 below are closest in meaning to:
1.
disobeying
2.
to end or finish
3.
worries
(noun) 4.
to make something correct
5.
to obey
6.
to punish
7.
negative effects or results
8.
duties
A company should not infrange, copy or otherwise use without permision or acknoledgement a copywrite, a patient, a tradmark (registreed or otherwise) or anything else that could be construed as createive or intelectual propperty for financial gain.
A company should respect the rights of the individual to privacy and freedom from harassment,
intimidation and any other act which could be viewed by the individual as an invasion of their privacy. In addition to maintaining good public relations with its customers, suppliers, and other people it works with, a company should also main good relations with its neighbours and people who live in and around its area of operations.
What is:
쮿The adjective form of the noun privacy? 쮿The verb form of the noun harassment? 쮿The adjective form of the noun intimidation? 쮿The verb form of the noun invasion?
쮿The noun form of the verb maintaining? 쮿The verb form of the noun / adjective public? 쮿The adjective form of the noun neighbours?
As part of its corporate governancepolicy, a company should have clearly defined codes of conduct,
codes of best practiceand other guidelinesfor its directors and employees to follow and uphold.
A company should not penalise any employee for questioning its policies and its financial or ethical integrity, and employees should be aware that if they do so, there will be no repercussions. An employee should not have to comply with any rules that it feels undermine his / her, and the company's, integrity.
Unit 0000
Choose the best word in bold to complete each of these sentences. Many of the
expressions are particular to the law of England and Wales, but will probably have
equivalents in other countries.
Court orders and injunctions
1. People who cause trouble in a particular place may be legally prevented from going to that place
again. This is known as a banning/ bankruptcyorder.
2. In Britain, if someone is causing someone distress, harm or harassment, the police can apply for an
ASDA/ ASBOin order to restrict their behaviour.
3. In a civil case, a court may impose a search/ huntorder allowing a party to inspect and photocopy or remove a defendant's documents, especially if the defendant might destroy those documents.
4. A promise given to a court (for example, by a vandal who promises not to damage property again) is
known as an undertaker/ undertaking.
5. Sometimes a temporary injunction can be imposed on someone until the case goes to court. This is
known as a temporary or interlocutory/ interiminjunction.
6. A restraining/ restrictionorder is a court order which tells a defendant not to do something while the court is still making a decision.
7. If someone applies for an injunction against a person with a mental disability, a third party will be appointed to act for that person. This third party is known as a litigation assistant/ friend.
8. A frozen/ freezingorder or injunction prevents a defendant who has gone abroad from taking all his assets (for example, the money in his bank account) abroad (although he isallowed to take out money for living expenses).
9. If you want to stop a magazine publishing an article about you (or photographs of you) that you do
not like, you can apply for a publicity/ publicationinjunction.
10. A person who repeatedly harasses, pesters or hits another person might be given a
non-proliferation/ non-molestationorder to prevent him / her from continuing to do it.
11. If your partner is trying to get you out of your shared home, or if he / she won't let you back into your home, you can apply for an occupation/ occupyingorder to remain / get back into the home.
12. Housing/ Homeinjunctions might protect you if you live in a council home and your neighbours are annoying and harassing you, or if you are a private tenant being harassed by your landlord.
13. A Common/ PublicLaw injunction can sometimes be applied for if one partner of an unmarried couple is harassing, assaulting or trespassing on the property of the other.
14. Reconstitution/ Restitutionorders are court orders asking for property to be returned to someone.
15. An order of discharge/ disclosureis a court order releasing someone from bankruptcy.
16. Many injunctions have a penal/ penaltynotice attached, which states that if the injunction is broken, the offender could be sent to prison.
1. The United Kingdom
This plan shows a top-down representation of how the court system is structured in the
United Kingdom. Test your knowledge of the system by rearranging the letters in
bold
to
make words.
2. The USA
This plan shows a top-down representation of how the courts are structured in the USA. Test
your knowledge of the system by rearranging the letters in
bold
to make words.
Unit 0000
Court structures
1. Court of cuJsietof the nEuaepor umCosniimet
Ø
9. sliCmaCourt 10. Court of Vanstere'
Unit 0000
A crime is an illegal act which may result in prosecution and punishment by the state if the
accused (= the person or people charged with a crime) is / are convicted (= found guilty in
a court of law). Generally, in order to be convicted of a crime, the accused must be shown
to have committed an illegal (= unlawful) act with a criminal state of mind.
Look at the list of crimes in the box, then look at the categories below. Decide which
category each one comes under, and write the crime in the appropriate space in the table.
Some crimes can be listed under more than one category. One of the words / expressions
in the list is not a crime.
Crime 1: Crime categories
1. abduction 2. actual bodily harm 3. aiding and abetting (= assisting) an offender 4. arson 5. assault 6. battery 7. being equipped to steal 8. bigamy 9. blackmail
10. breach of the Official Secrets Act 11. breaking and entering 12. bribery 13. burglary 13. careless or reckless driving 14. committing a breach of the peace 15. conspiracy 16. contempt of court 17. criminal damage (vandalism, and sometimes also hooliganism)
18. deception or fraud in order to obtain property, services or pecuniary advantage 19. driving without a licence or insurance 20. drug dealing 21. drunk in charge / drink driving
22. embezzlement 23. espionage 24. forgery 25. grievous bodily harm 26. handling stolen goods 27. indecency 28. indecent assault 29. infanticide 30. manslaughter 31. misuse of drugs 32. money laundering 33. murder 34. obscenity 35. obstruction of the police 36. paedophilia 37. perjury 38. perverting the course of justice
39. piracy 40. possessing something with intent to damage or destroy property 41. possessing weapons 42. racial abuse 43. rape 44. robbery 45. sedition 46. suicide 47. terrorism 48. theft 49. treason 50. unlawful assembly 51. wounding
Crimes against the person
Crimes against property
Public order offences
Road traffic offences
Sexual offences
Political offences
Look at these situations, then decide which crime has been, or is being, committed in each
case. These crimes can all be found in Crime 1 on page 29, but try to do this exercise first
without referring back. In some cases, more than one option is possible. (Note that you do
not need to use all of the crimes from page 29).
Unit 0000
Crime 2: Name the offence
1. TV Newsreader: Police believe the fire was started deliberately at around 2 o'clock this morning when burning paper was pushed through the letterbox. They are appealing for witnesses to the event.
2. Crown Prosecutor: Tell us in your own words exactly what happened.
Witness: We were in the bar when a man walked up to the victim, pointed a gun at his head and said 'You're a dead man.' Then he pulled the trigger three times.
3. Police constable: You were going in excess of 60, and this is a 30 zone.
Man in car: I think you're mistaken, constable. I was well within the speed limit.
4. Woman: When I got home, I discovered that my back door had been broken open. Police officer: Had anything been stolen?
Woman: Yes, my new laptop, £200 in cash and my pet parrot.
5. Police officer: I'm sorry sir, but I have to report your actions to the proper authorities. Man: Look, officer, here's £50. Let's just pretend this didn't happen, eh?
6. Extract from a newspaper article: The two men were arrested and detained after police checks revealed that they had been distributing pornographic material over the Internet.
7. Interviewing detective: All right, Dagsy. We know you didn't do the Cornmarket Street bank job yourself, but we know that you were involved somehow.
Police suspect: I was just driving the car Mr Regan, honest. And I didn't know what the others were up to until they came back with bags of cash.
8. TV newsreader: The car bomb went off in a busy marketplace, injuring several shoppers.
9. Radio newsreader: The police raided a house in New Street this morning and recovered 250 illegal copies of the latest Harry Potter film, along with professional film copying equipment.
10. Man reading newspaper: I don't believe it. The Foreign Minister has been caught giving government secrets to another country!
11. Political agitator: Now is the time to rise up and overthrow the running dogs that call themselves our government. Death to the Prime Minister and his cronies! Death to the Royal Family! Death to the system that bleeds us dry and abandons us!
Unwashed anarchist hordes: Hooray!
12. Shop assistant: I can't accept this £20 note, madam. It's a fake. Customer: What? You mean it's counterfeit?
Shop assistant: I'm afraid so. Do you have any other means of payment?
Unit 0000
14. Police officer: Take your time and tell me what happened, dear.
Pensioner: The man who came to my door said he had come to read the electric meter,
so I let him in. I went to the kitchen to make him a cup of tea. When I returned he had gone, and so had my television.
15. TV newsreader: A journalist working in the city disappeared this morning. Police later received a note from a militant faction claiming that they had taken him and were holding him hostage.
16. Woman: The graffiti around here is getting really bad. Last week somebody wrote 'Chelsea are rubbish' on our garden wall.
Man: That's not good. It should say 'Chelsea are complete rubbish'.
17. Man: Look at this note, Cheri. It arrived in the post today. It says 'Leave £10,000 in cash in the bin by the bus stop, or I'll tell everyone your dirty secret'.
Woman: Don't worry about it, Tony. It's probably another little joke from him next door.
18. Prosecuting lawyer: Tell us again what happened on the night of the incident, Mr Williams. And let me remind you that you are still under oath.
Defendant: Like I told you, I was at home asleep, so I have no idea what happened.
Prosecuting lawyer: Don't lie, Mr Williams. We have video evidence that you were in the nightclub until 3am. And you were seen by several witnesses.
19. Defendant: I don't recognise this court. This trial shouldn't be taking place. Judge: Sit down, Mr Dowling. You are out of order.
Defendant: Oh shut up, you silly old woman. Go back home and do some washing up or something.
20. Accountant: We've audited these accounts very carefully, and they just don't add up. Office manager: What exactly are you saying?
Accountant: I'm saying that someone in your office has been secretly helping themselves to company money.
21. TV presenter: Jimmy Bond, a former government intelligence agent, has just published a book about the Intelligence Service called 'Lifting the Lid'. In it, he gives us a revealing insight into the life of a secret agent. The government have strongly condemned the book, claiming it contains classified information that should not be in the public domain.
22. Magistrate: Constable, could you explain what happened?
Police constable: I was proceeding down Newland Street at approximately 8 o'clock last night when I heard a lot of shouting coming from The Newlands Inn public house. On entering, I saw the accused in a state of undress and dancing on a table.
Magistrate: You mean he was naked?
Police constable: Yes. As the day he was born.
23. Radio newsreader: The judge in the trial of notorious gangster Joe 'Pinko' Pallino adjourned the court today after it was revealed that several members of the jury had been offered bribes and other incentives to pass a verdict of 'not guilty' on Mr Pallino.
Imagine that a crime has taken place. Look at sentences 1 – 15 (which explain what happens
next) and rearrange the letters in
bold
to make words and expressions. The first letter of
each word / expression is in the correct place. Note that one word is used twice, but with a
different meaning.
Unit 0000
Crime 3: Criminal procedure (part 1)
1. Once the crime has been cedmitomt, it is rotpederto the police by the vitmic.
2. The police arrive at the sneecof the crime to itsanetivegwhat has happened.
3. They look for important cesuland other ecdnevie(for example, fingerprints or a genetic profile) that will help them to identify the crupitl.
4. In some cases, they will also try to establish if the mudso odiranpe(a Latin expression which describes the way in which the crime was carried out) matches other crimes in the area.
5. If they have a stupscewho doesn't have a good iblia, they will then arepnhedphim*.
6. When he is artsrede, the police will conutiahim (in other words, they warn him that anything he
says might be used later in court).
7. He is then taken to the police station, where he is iewervintedby the iigengstatinv oerfsicf.
8. He is allowed to have a sitocirolpresent if he wants.
9. If he wants lagle ratprstionneeeat this stage, but cannot afford it, the police must provide it.
10. If, at the end of the interview, the police believe that they have the right man, they ceraghhim with the crime.
11. A stemnttaeis prepared, which is signed by all parties present.
12. The ascedcuis then either redsealeon bali (in other words, he is allowed to leave the police station and go home in exchange for a financial 'deposit', on condition that he promises to appear in court when required: if he doesn't appear in court, he will lose this deposit and a twrraanwill be issued for his arrest), or he is rdaeedmnin cysodutand locked in a cell to prevent him from running away.
13. More questioning will probably follow: the police need as much poforas possible (anything that is
assdblimiein court will help them to get a cinonctivo), and they may also be interested in any
apcosmiccelwho may have helped their man.
14. The police will also want to talk to any wisestsenwho were present when the crime took place.
15. The next day, the man appears before a metgiasratin a metgiasrats' court. If the police present their cseaproperly and have followed all the correct procedures and protocols, he will then be
cedmitomtfor tirlaat a ConwrCourt.
Before you do this exercise, see
Crime 3
on the previous page.
Here are the various stages of a criminal trial. Read through them, and try to remember as
much information as possible. Then cover this page, and try to complete the same sentences
on the next page with the information that has been removed.
Unit 0000
Crime 4: Criminal procedure (part 2)
When the accused knows that he is going to stand trial, he asks a solicitor to prepare his case.
The information collected is then given to a barrister who will defend him in court.
In a criminal case, the police will have their own barrister, who is known as the Crown Prosecutor.
These two barristers are referred to throughout the trial as counsel for the defenceand counsel for the prosecution.
Before the trial begins, the counsels review their evidence and decide how to present their case.
Members of the jury, when required, are selected and briefed on their duties. A date for the trial is arranged.
At the beginning of the trial, the judge asks the defendant how he pleads: 'guilty' or 'not guilty'.
Both counsels then address the jury with a summary of what they believe is true, and explain what the jury will hear at the trial.
The counsel for the prosecution then calls and questions witnesses. The counsel for the defence can cross-examine these people. The defendant will also be questioned by both counsels.
At the end of the trial, the counsels summarise the facts as they see them, and the jury then retires to deliberate in private.
When the jury has reached its verdict, it returns to the court and the foreman of the jury delivers the verdict to the court.
If the defendant is found to be 'not guilty', he is acquitted.
However, if the jury's verdict is 'guilty', the defendant is convicted and sentenced by the judge.
The defendant may have to serve a custodial sentence (in other words go to prison), he may be given a suspended sentence, or he may be fined (or a combination of two of these).
